Terrence Shannon Jr. Accused of Rape, Faces Suspension from Team
Illinois basketball standout Terrence Shannon Jr. has been suspended from the Illini men’s basketball team following charges of rape, as announced by the university on Thursday.
The university revealed that Shannon Jr. turned himself in to the police in Douglas County, Kansas, this week based on a warrant for his arrest. The charges stem from an alleged incident of sexual misconduct during Shannon Jr.’s visit to Lawrence in September for Illinois’ football game against the Jayhawks.
The school clarified that Shannon Jr. was not in Lawrence on official university business nor was he part of the university’s travel party when the reported incident occurred.
Records from the jail indicate that Shannon Jr. posted $50,000 bail shortly after being taken into custody on Thursday.
In response, Terrence Shannon Jr.’s attorney, Mark P. Sutter, asserted his client’s innocence in a statement, noting, “Since September, when these allegations surfaced, Terrence has cooperated with law enforcement throughout the investigation, declaring his innocence from the beginning.”
Sutter continued, “Now, several months later, my office learned that formal charges were filed against him yesterday in Lawrence, KS. In less than 24 hours, my client responded, and he voluntarily surrendered to local authorities for processing and release. Terrence is innocent of these charges, and he intends to take his case to trial.”
Shannon Jr., who transferred to Illinois last season after three years at Texas Tech, has emerged as a key player for the Illini. With 239 points in 11 games, he has garnered attention from pundits as a potential pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.
Source: TMZ
Also Read, Immunefi Reports $1.8 Billion in Losses for Crypto Users Due to Hacks and Scams in 2023
